Meaningless? No chance. This was an encouraging evening for England, a deserved friendly victory over good opponents spiced with lively performances from Jack Wilshere, Ashley Young, James Milner, Darren Bent and Scott Parker. These auditions for permanent parts in the England drama were full of meaning.

If the outstanding display of the night came from the teenager in the Denmark No 8 shirt, the richly-promising Christian Eriksen, then the visitors can take comfort from a series of healthy contributions.

Inevitably much focus rested on Wilshere and he did not disappoint. His ability to cope with the technical demands of the game were never in doubt; he has been well educated by Liam Brady and Arsene Wenger.

What impressed about the Arsenal youngster was that he played without fear, also willing to receive possession no matter how heavily opponents pressed him.

The surprise, a disappointment really, was that Capello allowed Wilshere only 45 minutes to present his case for starting inclusion against Wales when Euro 2012 qualifying combat resumes next month.

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Capello insisted that he had made no deals with leading clubs but he removed one each from Arsenal (Wilshere), Chelsea (Lampard) and Manchester United (Wayne Rooney) at the break.

Having angered Liverpool for overusing Steven Gerrard in England’s last friendly, Capello could have been forgiven for wanting to keep Premier League managers sweet. Yet he really needed to see a few minutes more of Wilshere, particularly when paired with a more defensively-minded midfielder like Parker rather than the more attacking Lampard.

Arriving for the second period, Parker gave England some welcome ball-winning expertise, allowing quick turnover of the ball and some dangerous counter-attacks.

The feeling persists that England will see the best of Wilshere only when he is freed to create more - if only Owen Hargreaves were ever fit - or used in a 4-2-3-1 system; Capello’s starting 4-4-2 had too many gaps.

As well as Wilshire performed individually, there was still too much space in England’s midfield which the exceptional Eriksen used well. That said, Wilshere still put in some decent tackles and his distribution was predictably good.

Bent enhanced his cause, not simply with his poacher’s striker to cancel out Daniel Agger’s headed opener, but with his constant running. Capello clearly sees Andy Carroll as England’s long-term No 9 but Bent showed he is an able deputy.

Bent also dovetailed well with Young during a second half. With old boys Barry and Milner also on the pitch, and Stewart Downing coming on, the evening threatened to become an Aston Villa Past and Present All-Star Night.

If Milner put in a consistently industrious shift up and down the left, Young impressed with his high-speed work through the middle, racing forward from the slot behind Bent in a rejigged 4-2-3-1 formation. Occasionally diffident on international duty, Young looked far more confident here, partly because he was played in a more central position he has enjoyed for Villa recently.

Like Young and co, the England armband had a busy night, starting with Lampard then going to Ashley Cole at the interval before being passed to Gareth Barry. For one moment, it appeared that John Terry, stripped of the honour last year, was going to intercept Parker, who was carrying the armband to Barry. Terry, Chelsea’s captain, moved away at the last moment. Now that would have been an undiplomatic incident.

Instead, it was mainly an evening of positives, of reminders that international friendlies are useful. Capello’s players certainly enjoyed the opportunity: Wilshere and Young were buzzing afterwards while Parker will have taken a quiet satisfaction at proving he can contribute internationally.

England, their spirits lifted, can now focus their thoughts on the Millenium, although there will be a few twists and turns before the Severn is crossed. Capello will hope all his players survive the return to gruelling club duty, particularly with the Champions League campaign now intensifying.

The Italian still has plenty of work to do. For all the upbeat mood in the England camp, some concerns remain. England are still many levels below the class of top possession sides like Spain.

For the visiting fans who had spent all day inside the Old English pub here, or spilling out on to the pavement, a few old English problems manifested themselves in the first period. The defence looked occasionally vulnerable at set pieces. The midfield failed to deal with the deep-lying Eriksen, the Ajax 18-year-old whose development is being closely monitored by Arsenal and Liverpool. Brimming with sound technique and clever movement. Eriksen is clearly destined for bigger stages.

After Bent and Rooney had almost scored, Denmark did. Eriksen whipped over a ball from the right that caused chaos. Agger, nipping in-between the sluggish John Terry and Michael Dawson, headed emphatically past Joe Hart.

England rallied, equalising swiftly. Rooney was the instigator, gathering the ball and releasing Theo Walcott down the right with a terrific pass. Walcott ran at Simon Poulsen, the Danish left-back before drilling the ball to the far post where Bent played the poacher. The 2,500 England fans in the SuperBest supermarket end of the Parken Stadium loved it.

But still gaps opened up in England’s 4-4-2 formation, holes exploited by Eriksen in particular. Exchanging passes with Nicklas Bendtner, the Ajax schemer shot low past the diving Hart, who was relieved as the ball cannoned out off the post. Then Eriksen released Dennis Rommedahl, whose shot was brilliantly saved by Hart.

The half finished as it began, Eriksen drilling in another great ball from the right towards Agger, although his header flew off target. But England were sharper and pacier after the break and when Johnson worked the ball to Young, the Villa flier calmly placed his shot past Sorensen. Meaningful? Definitely.